Summary: The extrapolation of data obtained with
lethal doses of radiation to evaluating low doses, i.e., those not causing immediate
death, seems to be unjustified. Thus, models have to be developed that are based
on integral parameters (such as the survival of experimental animals), easy
to perform, and permit screening procedures to be carried out within 30 days
in order to make screening efficient. Two hundred and sixty outbred male white
mice were irradiated with a 1 Gy dose at a 0.75 Gy/min. To produce a model of
acute infection, the animals were infected by tularemia (2 x LD50)
using Gaiskiy-15 strain of the infectious agent. A viral disease was produced
by infecting mice by the equine encephalomyelitis (EEM) virus. The animals were
infected 24 h after irradiation. The survival of animals was used as an end
point. Such conditions are most prevalent in areas contaminated by radioactivity.
Irradiation prior to infection was found to decrease the survival rate of experimental
animals. Preventive administration of Ukrain increased the survival rate of
experimental animals. On the whole, the results suggest that Ukrain deserves
the attention of experts in radioprotection.